The Hall of Fame was developed to highlight the history of the singing arts in Ashtabula County and to preserve the memory of individuals who made exemplary contributions to choral music and/or the arts during their lifetime. Their contributions may be through leadership, singing participation, performance, education, financial support or audience enthusiasm. Nomination forms are publicly distributed. A committee of past HOF members, ACCMS board and community review nominations and select recipients for the honor. An individual plaque/trophy is awarded to the inductee, their name is inscribed on the ACCMS Hall of Fame plaque and a contribution to the ACCMS Endowment Fund is made in the inductee’s name.

INAUGURAL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2010

Janet Sneary Cobbledick
Carlos “Woody”Hudson
Kaarlo Mackey
Kathleen Milford
Mary Runyan
Agnes Sawyer
Paul Shellhammer, Sr.

HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2015

Barbara Fohl
Helen Dickey
Gerald Kujala
Madge Lehnert
Chuck Marcy

Madge Lehnert, Charles Marcy, Gerald Kujala, Barb Fohl

(not pictured Helen Dickey)

HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2019

Nancy Guthrie
John Hruska
Ruth Collinge Ladner
Joy Leirer
Miriam Cartner

Harold M. Ladner, son of Ruth Collinge Ladner, Nancy Guthrie, Miriam Cartner, John Hruska, Joy Leirer

2019 Inductee Summary

• Nancy Guthrie – Conneaut music teacher, Conneaut private lessons for piano/organ, plays guitar, trumpet, clarinet piano, organ, percussion and pedal harp. Music director for Good Shepard Lutheran Church
• John Hruska – singer for Jefferson High School, Jefferson Congregational Church. college member of Miami Men’s Glee Club. ACCMS Messiah Chorus, Ashtabula First United Methodist Church choir. Original Board of Directors member for ACCMS, Ashtabula Town Choir, ACCMS Chorale, Founding member of Cross County Shoreliners Barbershop and Gospel A Capella Group.
• Ruth Collinge Ladner – Conneaut Ohio vocal soloist, private voice teacher, church choir director St Peter’s Episcopal Church Conneaut.
• Joy Leirer – music educator for Grand Valley Schools. Grand Valley Show Choir , Music Director, St. Mary Church, musical director Straw Hat Theatre. puppet ministry, hand bell choir director.
• Miriam Cartner – dedicated singer and supporter of the ACCMS Chorale for 30 years, Board of Directors Member since 2003, leader in the development and growth of the ACCMS by seeking funding and resources, singer ACCMS, Chautauqua Choir, Summit County Choral Music Society, Church choir.

2015 Inductee Summary

• Helen Dickey – Conneaut and Ashtabula Schools music teacher; Conneaut Community Music director and event planner Church music; performing artist
• Barbara Fohl – Ashtabula County Choral Music Society singer (25 years); Board Member (17 years); Board Secretary (15 years) Church musician
• Gerald Kujala – Geneva Schools music teacher; Messiah Chorus director; ACCMS guest director; church musician
• Madge Lehnert – Jefferson arts leader; Jefferson Schools music program supporter, Arts benefactor, Ashtabula County Choral Music Society singer, ACCMS Board Member, Faithful audience participant in support of arts events in Ashtabula County
• Charles Marcy – Conneaut soloist: community events; veteran activities Conneaut Arts Center performer Conneaut Community Chorus member Ashtabula County Choral Music Society singer Faithful audience participant in support of arts events in Ashtabula County Nearly ninety years of singing for school and community!

2010 Inductee Summary

• Janet Cobbledick – amateur vocal soloist; founding Board member of ACCMS; ACCMS Chorale & church choir member; generous ACCMS benefactor
• Paul Shellhammer I – amateur soloist; singing choir participant for over sixty years: Town Choir; Messiah Chorus; East Side Presbyterian church choir; ACCMS Chorale
• Carlos “Woody” Hudson – Edgewood Senior High School Choir director; church choir director (East Side Presbyterian Church; First United Methodist Church, Ashtabula); ACCMS Messiah conductor
• Kaarlo Mackey – Conneaut HS Choir director; Town Choir director; Zion Lutheran (Ashtabula) church choir director; private piano teacher
• Kathleen Milford – ACCMS founder/Artistic Director of ACCMS Chorale; Youth; Children’s Choirs Choral Music teacher, AACS (Harbor HS/Columbus JH) 24 years OMEA Board of Trustees; OCDA Board of Directors OMEA Vocal Adjudicator
• Mary Runyan – ACCMS Board member 19 years; ACCMS accompanist 1989-2008; First United Methodist Church, Ashtabula) organist over 30 years
• Agnes Sawyer – Church music musician; arts benefactor; regular arts audience participant Conneaut & Rowe Schools music teacher; MacDowell Club (Conneaut) founding choral director